Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research has determined that the ability to quantify may develop much sooner than most parents realize.
Kristy vanMarle, professor of the University of Missouri, has determined that contrary to what previous studies have shown, infants（婴儿）are able to quantify substances（物质）—like sand or water—as early as 10 months. As long as the difference between the two substances is large enough, infants will choose the larger amount, especially when it comes to food.
With the assistance of her team researchers, vanMarle tested the quantifying skills of babies by presenting them with two cups: one containing a small amount of food, and one containing a larger amount. Consistently, the babies chose the larger amount.
“Several studies throughout the last 15 years have shown that infants are very good at telling how many objects they see; however, infants don’t seem to count things like water or sand,” vanMarle said. “What we’re saying is that they can quantify substances; it’s just much harder. The infants can see how much food goes into each cup and compare that in their memories. They decide which amount is larger, and they almost always select the larger one.”
“This information further refutes（驳斥）the long-held idea that babies “know nothing of the world,” vanMarle said.
“Since psychologists have begun studying infants with sensitive measures, we’ve discovered a lot of early abilities. I think for parents, it should be exciting to know that there’s somebody in there that has some fundamental and basic knowledge of the world, and that knowledge is guiding their development,” vanMarle said.
In the future, vanMarle says this kind of study could be linked to a child’s progress in math-related skills, although programs marketed to increase those abilities, such as “Baby Einstein,” still have mixed reviews when it comes to academic study.
1.The quantifying ability refers to the ability to .
A. get much knowledge of the world
B. identify the quantity of something
C. choose between different substances
D. obtain math-related skills
2.Babies choose the larger amount of food .
A. on personal preference B. by saying numbers
C. with the help of parents D. through their natural abilities
3.We can learn from the text that .
A. people used to think the world is known to babies
B. scholars disagree on baby-training programs
C. little research has been done on infants
D. some parents don’t care about their kids
When did you last visit a shopping mall? In many places, the answer would be “last weekend”. Some people go even more often. Why? For one thing, malls offer goods and services that people need all in one place : food, clothing, things for their houses, entertainment，and even medical services. So, are malls one of the highlights of modern civilization? Environmental activists would say “No!” They would go even further and say that consumer behavior is causing a huge environmental disaster. They cause consumers of ignorance of the side effect of their shopping—urban sprawl (城市杂乱无序拓展的地区）.
Social scientists agree that patterns of development have changed the landscape a great deal in the last half century. Prior to 1950，most people lived in towns or cities and either walked to work or took public transportation. Only very wealthy people had automobiles. Farmers lived in rural areas or isolated villages and came into town only when they needed things they couldn’t produce themselves. If you gazed at the landscape you would see towns surrounded by countryside. Then a massive change occurred.
Automobiles became affordable and people were quick to adopt them. Now ambitious workers could live in the suburbs, the areas just outside cities, which started to grow rapidly. As long as there was lots of cheap land in the suburbs, no one paid much attention to the usage of that land. Malls, fast food restaurants, cinemas, and car dealerships spread out in large, flat buildings. These one - storey buildings and their parking lot took up a great deal of space. Well - meaning farmers thought they were better off selling their land than growing crops. In ignorance, no one realized that once the land was built up in urban sprawl, the good farming land would be ruined forever. There was no way to preserve it.
Only in recent years have people come to mourn the old way of life as they have developed insight into the problems of unconditional growth. Now people realize that urban sprawl has come with serious environmental problems. The negative aspects of sprawl include air and water pollution, loss of agricultural land, traffic jams, and the death of businesses in the old town centers. Many scholars think the time has come to analyze the problems better so we can develop appropriate policies to control further sprawl. Some think the best way to do is to educate citizens about their priceless environment.
1. What is mainly discussed in the passage?
A. Urban sprawl B. Weekend fun
C. New automobiles D. Isolated villages
2.Who do activists blame for environmental problems?
A. Endangered animals. B. Unthinking shoppers.
C. Shopping mall owners. D. Ambitious farmers.
3.What does the underlined word “They” refer to in the first paragraph?.
A. Activists B. Malls. C. Farmers. D. Scientists.
4.What is the scholars’ attitude toward urban sprawl?
A. Respectful. B. Pessimistic. C. Disapproving. D. Doubtful.
Below is some advice on how to sleep better.
1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule
Go to bed at the same time every night. Choose a time when you normally feel tired, so that you don’t toss or turn. Try not to break this routine on weekends when it may be tempting to stay up late. If you want lo change your bedtime, help your body adjust by making the change in small daily increments, such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day. As with your bedtime, try to maintain your regular wake-time even on weekends.
2.Fight after-dinner drowsiness（睡意）
If you find yourself getting sleepy before your bed-time, get off the couch and do something mildly stimulating to avoid falling asleep, such as washing the dishes, calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day. If you give in to the drowsiness, you may wake up later in the night and have trouble getting back to sleep.
3. Keep your room dark and cool
When it’s time to sleep, make sure that your environment is dark. Even dim light — especially those from TV or computer screens — can confuse the body clock. Heavy curtains or shades can help block light from windows, or you can try an eye mask to cover your eyes. The temperature of your bedroom also affects sleep. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep.
4. Turn off your television
Many people use the television to fall asleep or relax at the end of the day. You may even have a television in your bedroom. However, television actually stimulates the mind, rather than relaxing it. Part of this is due to content. Late night news and prime time shows frequently have disturbing, violent material. Even non-violent programming can have commercials that are jarring and loud.
5. Exercise early
Exercise helps promote restful sleep if it is done several hours before you go to bed. Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly — as long as it ’s done at the right time. Try to finish exercising at least three hours before bed or work out earlier in the day.
6. Consult your doctor
Use a sleep diary and talk to your doctor. Note what type of sleep problem is affecting your sleep or if you are sleepy when you wish to be awake and alert. Try these tips and record your sleep and sleep-related activities in a sleep diary. If problems continue, discuss the sleep diary with your doctor. There may be an underlying cause and you will want to be properly diagnosed. Your doctor will help treat the problem or may refer you to a sleep specialist.
1.To prevent yourself from sleeping too much on weekends, you should________.
A. go lo bed 15 minutes earlier than usual
B. go to bed at usual time
C. go to bed at any time
D. make an adjustment to your bedtime
2.Which of the following makes it easier for you to have a sound sleep?
A. Watching violent programmes before going to bed.
B. Changing your bedtime only a little every day.
C. Using heavy curtains or an eye mask to block light.
D. Completing your workout just before bedtime.
3. The following ways can help fight after-dinner drowsiness EXCEPT_______.
A. making a telephone call
B. doing some washing
C. getting clothes ready for the next day
D. having a rest on the sofa
4. If your sleep problems continue, you’d better_____________
A. move into a new house
B. discuss it with your family
C. change your present job
D. turn to the doctor for help
Blogs allow readers to post comments. There were millions of blogs out there, so I 36 expected anyone to read mine, 37 respond. But almost immediately they did. Twelve messages were 38 after my first entry. I went to the library five times that day—each time there were more.
The next morning I couldn’t wait to get up and hurry to the library. 39 I told my story. It gave structure and a purpose to my day.
For so long I’d been unable to 40 in the real world, afraid of rejection or pity or scorn(轻蔑). 41 here it was safe. This 42 with people on the other side of the screen, many on the other side of the world, was 43 me back to life again.
One particularly cold Tuesday I opened my 44 to see, among emails from bloggers 45 how I was surviving the snow, one saying: “New York Times Journalist Trying to Contact You.” Ian Urbina had discovered my blog 46 when researching an article on people living in their 47 in the U.S. exchanged emails and later he called me up. I hadn’t spoken to 48 for months but, as rain streamed down the glass 49 , the words came. I had been living in the car for almost nine months.
The article 50 on the front page. I didn’t know until I opened my computer. There were emails from people around the world. For almost a year on one had known I 51 existed but now here were hundreds wishing me well. They said they were 52 for me.
Now every time I pressed “Check Mail”, there were more messages. I watched the numbers of the visitors counter on my blog 53 by the hundreds. These were people at their computers all over the world. I felt as of I was viewing a miracle unfold(展开).
Over the next week, in libraries and in the car 54 under lamp posts at night, I wrote my papers. I had notepaper spread 55 the dashboard(仪表盘). And every morning in the quiet of the lane, I wrote for my life.
1.A. nearly B. eagerly C. patiently D. hardly
2.A. rather than B. more than C. let alone D. other than
3.A. read B. printed C. left D. taken
4.A. The other day B. Day and night C. All day long D. Another day
5.A. give out B. reach out C. make out D. hand out
6.A. But B. And C. Or D. Then
7.A. problem B. work C. appointment D. connection
8.A. paying B. giving C. binging D. writing
9.A. website B. mailbox C. blog D. newspaper
10. A. concerned about B. bored with C. careless of D. disappointed at
11.A. by mistake B. in time C. by chance D. at last
12.A. homes B. offices C. cars D. libraries
13.A. everybody B. anyone C. another D. other
14.A. inwards B. inside C. outwards D. outside
15.A. carried B. published C. appeared D. contributed
16.A. already B. even C. almost D. only
17.A. praying B. fighting C. voting D. looking
18.A. ending B. increasing C. dropping D. expanding
19.A. repaired B. washed C. crashed D. parked
20.A. through B. beyond C. across D. above
---Thank you for your CD-ROM. I’ll return it as soon as I can.
---_____. I’ve got another one to spare.
A. No problem B. No hurry C. With pleasure D. Nothing much
All of Manhattan, parts of Brooklyn and Queens are blacked out, and people have no idea ___ it’s coming back on.
A. that B. when C. how D. where
